Mobile HIV Education Africa

1. Uju Ofomata
ICT innovation for community empowerment

2. OneWorld UK
• Part of an int’l network of OneWorld Centres

3. OneWorld UK
• An online portal for global justice since 1994

4. OneWorld UK
• Innovation of ICT and mobile technology
Lifelines India Mobile for Good

5. The situation in Nigeria
• 3.2 million with HIV/AIDS - 220,000 children
• 60% of new infections in 15-25 age group
• Average age of girls’ first sexual activity is 13
• 27 women die every day from unsafe abortions
• 80% of these are teenagers
• Maternal mortality among WORST in world
… and yet…

6. The situation in Nigeria
Sex is traditionally a very private subject in Nigeria and
the discussion of sex with teenagers is often seen as
inappropriate… Lack of accurate information about
sexual health has meant there are many myths and
misconceptions about sex and HIV, contributing to
increasing transmission rates as well as stigma and
discrimination towards people living with HIV/AIDS.
AVERT report on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, 2008

7. Innovative Solutions
•Butterfly Works: Education and design specialists
•OneWorld: mobile technology

8. Innovative Solutions
• Local expertise in Nigeria – creative partnership with
Community Based Organisations and Government
Girls’ Power Initiative, Nigeria
• Critical support from funders

9. Learning about Living
Several Goals….
1. Provide information to empower young people to
make informed decisions about their sexual health
2. Increase gender equality
3. Reduce HIV/AIDS, Maternal Mortality

10. e-Learning environment

11. e-Learning environment
• 25 pre-prepared lessons for teachers and students
• Information through virtual peer educators using
‘info-cartoons’ and youth friendly language
• Educative games, quizzes and role plays

12. e-Learning environment
• Developed to experiential learning principles

13. e-Learning environment
• Can be used as a stand alone tool

14. e-Learning environment
• Developed and tested with young people

15. e-Learning environment
• CMS open source (easily adjusted for different states)

16. The mobile service
Nigeria’s...
• 64 million
mobile users
• 56% annual
growth rate
• Market leader
with S. Africa
• Prominence of SMS
• Expanding to 3G
... led us to launch “MyQ” & “MyA”

17. The mobile service
• MyQ: answering urgent sexual health questions…
via email via phone via SMS
Providing vital sexual health information
anonymously, confidentially and quickly.
• MyA: a monthly sexual health competition to
encourage discussion and engagement

18. How it works

19. What have we achieved?
• Students: genuine excitement & safe environment

20. What have we achieved?
• Teachers: enthusiasm about ICT & safe environment

21. What have we achieved?
• Partners: shown genuine passion and involvement

22. What have we achieved?
• Media: positive coverage across Nigeria on Adolescent
Reproductive Health

23. What have we achieved?
A few numbers…
• 100,000+ SMS questions received & answered
• Almost 9,000 students reached with eLearning
• More than 320 teachers trained on eLearning
• Piloted in 16 schools…
• …and 1 out of school youth centre

24. What have we achieved?
Messages sent to MyQ Satisfaction Levels for MyQ
actual
target
“I have a friend who is HIVpositive,should i keep away from
him because i might get infected.pls what should i do?”
“Can an HIV+ mother breast feed her baby without infecting d baby”
“I av boyfriend but dont know his statue.and he wanted 2 av
sex with me.Pls help me”

25. Some challenges
• Mobile network problems – disruption to MyQ

26. Some challenges
• Human – big classes, more FLHE-trained teachers

27. Some challenges
• Infrastructure – more computers

28. Some challenges
• Funding – more needed to maintain momentum

29. What’s Next…
• Scale up throughout Nigeria
• Launch in Senegal
• Scoping studies: Mexico & Morocco
• Rwanda? Uganda? Kenya?
Ghana? Nepal? .....

30. “The pictures on the computer help
me recall things” – Nnamdi Amadi
“It gives me more understanding about
what I am learning” – Akanine Udoh
“I feel more comfortable and
relaxed” – Cecilia Akobi

31. Find out more
Check out the site…
http://mobile.oneworld.net
Watch a video about the project…
http://mobile.oneworld.net/lal/about-us#video
Check out OneWorld’s other mobile projects...
http://mobile.oneworld.net/docs/lal/Mobile4Good.pdf
Get in touch...
m4g@oneworld.net